Final

Phenomenon
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Phenomenon

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phenomenon (/fəˈnɑː.mə.nɑːn/) noun

something that exists and can be seen, felt, tasted, etc.,

especially something unusual or interesting.

 

 

Sehun awoke at the crack of dawn. As his eyes fluttered open, the shimmer of raindrops on the transparent window came into view. He stretched his arms and slid the window open. The scent of damp moss mixed with petrichor wafted in, enveloping the room with a calm and earthy fragrance. He peered out of the window and the morning breeze greeted him. With Vivi lying beside him, Sehun looked at the vast ocean, anticipating the sun to rise.

It had been ten years since the tragic accident happened. The boy grew up in an affectionate and doting family, but in a blink of an eye, the Oh family suffered a tragedy. Sehun didn't have many recollections back then as he was sound asleep in his parents' convertible. He was thrown into a coma, lying on the hospital bed for close to three years. As soon as he woke up, his vision turned to a world filled with shades of black and white. Seven-year-old Sehun had a brain of a preschooler and was permanently colour blind. It served as a painful memory and scar so deep that wouldn't be forgotten.

Over the course of four years, he was into a host of tests and diagnoses conducted by doctors and researchers to identify the root of the problem. Apparently, a coma was expected since he suffered severe injuries on his head. However, being totally colour blind was out of the question. Those who were colour blind meant that they weren’t able to recognise a set of colours such as blue and yellow, or red and green. That wasn’t the case for Sehun—he couldn’t identify any colour! This was abnormal.

Because of this, Sehun’s childhood was a blur. He only remembered distancing himself with other innocent children. Blindly put, he felt ashamed for his stupidity. His education was atrocious and the impaired vision further made him a fool. Growing up with the belief that friends were useless and that they were monsters capable of backstabbing, having a social life became a far-fetched dream.

Fast-forward to ten years later, the belief was no longer held close to his heart. Sehun had grown out from it and now all he wanted was company. He felt lonely at times and being with ViVi all the time soon became boring. He wanted adventure, find friends, and even seek love, but the moment he set his mind to it, he became intimidated as the world to him was menacing.

“What are your plans today?” 

Even up to this day, Sehun was grateful for Hyunsook who brought him to her peaceful village. Sehun faintly recalled visiting her when he was in a pram, pushed by his parents. He missed the times when he went fishing with his mum or ploughing the soil with his muscular dad. Those were his happiest childhood memories, but it had now ceased to existence.

“Are you daydreaming again?” Hyunsook asked, which broke the boy from his reverie. Sehun tore his gaze from the scenery enfolding in front of him and locked gaze with his sole family member. He blinked twice, prompting Hyunsook to repeat her question and flash a crooked smile.

“Uh...,” Sehun hesitated for a moment before replying, “I think I am going to try the newly opened seafood restaurant down the street.” He later cleared his throat, surprised to hear his raspy and cracked voice in the early morning.

“Then you should get ready to leave because it will get crowded fast.” Hyunsook smiled lovingly and proceeded to leave the room, giving Sehun the privacy to wash up and prepare for the day. “And…,” she craned her neck as her fingers lingered on the doorknob, “I don’t want to hear our neighbours spotting you loitering around doing nothing.”

As soon as the door closed behind him, Sehun heaved a sigh of despair. Whenever he thought of venturing outside, there would always be this unsettling notion churning at the pit of his stomach. This was because everything he saw was in different shades of grey which made him feel lost among a sea of countrymen. Nevertheless, he made his way to the bathroom, brushing his teeth and changing to a set of simple clothing before heading out. Due to his limited wardrobe, he didn't bother to dress to the nines. Eventually, he settled on a plain white cotton t-shirt and khaki brown pants.

A part of Sehun decided to take a trip outside because he didn’t want his grandmother to worry about him. He had this impression that Hyunsook was feeling stressed lately as her grandson was not settling well in Andong. Evident because Sehun didn’t intend to find a job, learn new skills, or even blend in with other citizens. Hyunsook would always walk into Sehun’s room and talk to him about the various fun activities that he could partake in. She hoped that her grandson could spend time in a more fruitful manner—though they weren’t entirely effective. 

Another part which encouraged him to head outside was the seafood restaurant. It was newly opened and he heard that the breakfast meal was tasty. He needed to try it for himself, filling his empty stomach at the same time. 

When he stepped out of his comfort zone, shades of black and white clouded his peripheral vision—birds, houses, people, trees were all dreadfully similar. It daunted him at first, but his eyes gradually adapted to the environment along with the harsh rays of sunlight. Due to his inability in differentiating colours, Hyunsook had warned him that he must never walk alone at night as light was sparse—ingraining it into his memory.

En route to the seafood store, Sehun's stomach rumbled louder which caused him to hasten his pace. He walked across the bridge, and after a series of left and right turns, also asking a few rural countrymen for directions; he finally arrived at the location he was looking for. It was an arduous journey and he nearly took twenty minutes to find the restaurant. When Sehun arrived, a crowd was already gathered. With only one glance, Sehun confirmed that there was a throng of foreigners who came down from nearby urban cities to experience Andong’s culture and way of life.

Miraculously, finding a table for one was quick. The waiter led him to an empty corner, and Sehun ordered a bowl of seafood ramen. He waited for the meal to arrive and when it did, the smell of fresh seafood made his mouth water. He ate his meal slowly, languidly savouring the wheat flour, spicy spices, and fish flavours in his mouth, as if he had all the time in the world. It didn't taste that bad, but he understood the hype surrounding this restaurant. With nothing else planned for the rest of the day, he ate at his tortoise pace.

Sehun had acclimated to his new life—sitting and eating alone in a restaurant full of people. He avoided the weird gazes of other restaurant-goers and eavesdropped conversations though they were nothing significantly important. There were monochromatic paintings hung on the walls too, which were what Sehun had been staring while eating. He also spent some time dissecting the ambience of the restaurant. It was well furnished with modern decor: an exotic grandfather’s clock—which seemed to date back to the 19th century—laid next to the cashier. He also turned to face the entrance, watching people come in and out of the store, some stopping by to see what the talk of the town was all about, while others leave with a smile etched across their faces.

With one final sip of the soup, he made way to the counter to pay for his bill. Upon seeing a beeline, Sehun sighed as he hated to wait; he was never a patient person. He stood still, tapping his slippers on the wooden floor, and observed delicacies served to other customers.

Just then, the door of a separate room opened, revealing a group of youngsters. The boisterous echoes made Sehun direct his attention to them. Most of them were tall with pretty decent looks and donned neat uniforms. They were probably high school students and soon Sehun ignored their presence. But deep down, he wished he could have friends. He would never complain even if God was to bestow only one friend to him. Just one person who would accept and appreciate who he was and that would brighten up his life.

“Thank you for the meal,” a boy chimed in.

“We will wait for you outside,” another boy added.

Seconds later, Sehun heard footsteps brushing past him. The students’ sneakers click-clacked against the floor and their voices reverberated across the restaurant, but it soon subsided as they were no longer within earshot. Sehun looked up, his hands clutching the small notes in his pockets. Just two more customers, he remained optimistic. Suddenly, he felt someone coughing urgently behind him. It was as if the person wanted his attention. Sehun ignored but the person then spoke moments later.

“Sorry, can you let me pay first?” It was a girl’s voice which sounded impatient albeit polite.

Sehun turned around and bore into the figure. It was someone he had never met but then again, he seldom blended in with the villagers. He concluded that this girl was part of the circle-of-friends earlier on. Sehun raised his hand to his tousled hair, contemplating; he was rushing to leave this crowded place too. However, before he can reply, a gasp escaped from his lips, a little too loud and dramatic which caught the stares of surrounding customers.

Light hues of colours slowly emitted from the girl. For the first time after the incident, Sehun could finally see something in colour, and not the familiar black and white. He immediately rubbed his eyes and pinched his wrists. It wasn’t a daydream or a trick of the light. The stranger was indeed cloaked with a veil of colours. It was as if there was magical stardust sprinkled all over her body, casting a pearlescent glow. He glanced to his left and right, but the surroundings remained greyish.

What in the world?

Sehun was starstruck and enamoured by her beauty which was accentuated by the vivid colours and lustrous aura. Tears welled up in his eyes as it had been ages since Sehun last saw pigments from a myriad of colour codes. It was a very long time—close to a decade.

It was like a whole new world unfolded right in front of him.

“Hey, are you okay?” The stranger asked with concern. “You’re sweating as if you have seen a ghost.” She then added as an afterthought, “Well, I am not exactly like one anyway.”

The girl’s words were like strings of musical notes flowing through his ears. It sounded graceful and delicate. Sehun was definitely spellbound.

“Who are you?” Sehun blurted. His voice was soft and filled with a tinge of anxiety. He gazed at her intently, staring into her perfectly shaped pupil and white irises. “Just… who are you?” Little did he realise that his voice cracked towards the end and colourless teardrops rolled down his cheeks. This girl was perfection—too perfect that Sehun couldn’t believe such a human exists.

“Next,” the staff at the counter called abruptly which prompted Sehun to turn around, breaking eye contact. He hurriedly wiped his warm tears that unknowingly escaped from his orbs and strode forward, handing the bill over to the staff. In a short amount of time, the staff processed the order as Sehun only ordered one dish. After payment, he went to the side, eyeing at the mysterious girl.

Sehun continued to scrutinise this girl and later concluded that she was real. That might sound weird, but he originally thought that such a beauteous person would never exist in real life. It was strange how Sehun could only see one person in colour while the other beings remain affected by his colour blindness. He was then reminded by what he read in his medical report: that his illness was extraordinary and unexplainable.

Such weird situations had never occurred in Sehun’s life before. For the past decade, he lived his life in the dark and never got the opportunity to see the light. The purpose of being at the window every morning was so that he could see the magnificent sunrise; for he thought that the sun emitted the brightest light in the world. A part of him felt that if he could see a sliver of orange from the sun, his perception of colours would improve and he would become… normal again.

When the mysterious girl thanked the staff for his service, she walked past Sehun and approached the entrance. At once, Sehun snapped himself back to reality. He wouldn’t want to lose sight of her. He didn’t care if he followed her to whatever destination as her body shined so bright like a twinkling star.
 

 

 


 

It had been four hours since Sehun met Angel. He decided to address her in this manner because he felt that she was the epitome of beauty. When Sehun secretly trailed behind, he found her ethereal. From the back, he observed her luscious hair which blew freely when the wind came. When she craned her neck sideways, he found her side profile lovely too—a jawline that curved to a smooth ‘L’ shape and scintillating earrings that sparkled every now and then. Not to mention he was able to see her basked in a palette of colours as if a walking art piece.

Angel together with two of her friends were at the riverbank. All of them sat on gigantic rocks, admiring the calm waves. Sehun on the other hand was hiding behind a coconut tree, stealing glances behind her back. He didn’t dare approach her because of his fear of speaking and him being shy. 

Sehun focused most of his attention on the girl which he could still see distinct colours on her. He tried to name the colour of her dress and shoe but he couldn’t match what he learnt to what he saw. In his own eyes, every colour was gorgeous and unique and everything was still a wonder to him. He was too engrossed that he didn’t realise someone creeping up behind him.  

“Hey,” he heard someone address him from behind. A hard smack then went to his shoulder which caused him to turn abruptly. He froze. That someone was one of her friends. He was tall—like really tall—with muscles at all the right places that made his uniform appear tight. “Why are you following us?”

“I… Uh… I am… Uh… not following you… just… Uh… sightseeing,” Sehun stuttered. He had hardly conversed with anyone except for his grandmother or when the situation called for it. Now, he was genuinely scared. He hated direct confrontations. Sweat pooled around his jawline. He didn’t know how to answer. “I was… was… was...”

“Baekhyun!” The man said. Sehun’s eyes found Angel but beside her, another man waved his hand. “Come with me,” the tall male directed his statement to the man beside him and pushed him over. Sehun wobbled unsteadily as the stranger forcefully dragged him along.

“Wait, I… I can explain…”

“I caught him staring at us! This guy has been followi

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SHAWOLVERSE
Minor edits.

Comments

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NoorKyra
#1
Chapter 1: Beautiful...... Still reading this story....

😻😻😻😻😻😻
hihithisisme #2
So many emotions are running in my mind right now. This is a real gem and I'm glad to have read it. Genius. Perfect.
hihithisisme #3
Bless my eyes for this wonderful story.
miildBreeze_
#4
Chapter 1: this is a beautifully written story and the little twist in the make me blown up. i may have a little tears in my eyesㅠㅠ
Sparkling_Genie
#5
Chapter 1: This is a very unique fan-fiction. I was expecting romance but true friendship as the core of the story is just amazing.
xoexoxxvi
#6
Chapter 1: damn hit me in the feeling when his grandma told him the truth. but i'm happy it's beautiful ending for him anyway
coffeeeprince #7
Chapter 1: HOLY, THIS IS GREAT,
Justinediamonds #8
Chapter 1: Ahhhhh this was such a beautiful fanfic :’)
speciali #9
Chapter 1: SPEECHLESS TO TEARS.